deegee



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. DREGER & A. WRATZKE. TIME FUSE FOR SHELLS.

No. 526,344. Patented Se t. 18, 1894.

Ems. FIG/l1. FIGJL 7! J5 :VP If (NoModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;.

M. DREGER & A. WRATZKE. TIME FUSE FOR SHELLS.

No. 526,344. Patented sept. 18, 1894.

' UNITED 4 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX DREGER AND ALFRED WRATZKE, or MAGDEBURG, ASSIGNORS TO THE GRUSONWERK, OF MAGDEBURG-BUQKAU, GERMANY.

TIME-FUSE con SHELLS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,344, dated September 18, 1894.

v Application filed November 25, 1892. Serial No. 453,132. '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAX DREGER and ALFRED WRATZKE, both of Magdeburg, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Time-Fuses, of which the'following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

I Our invention relates to fuses for usev in connection with explosive shells or cannon shot whereby the explosion of the shell isin-' sured accurately within a certain predetermined time after the shot is fired, and our invention relates more particularly to that class of timefuses which employ two relatively adj ustable parts, one of which carries a ring or annular film of slow burning composition having igniting'connection with the explosive contents of the shell, while the other carries the initial lighting device-operated in any suitable manner and having access at a point or points to the igniting ring. The operation which lS- 'W61l. known in such devices, is such that the communication between the initial lighting device and the igniting ring of composition may be adjusted to a greater or less distance from the poin f communication between the actuating ing of composition and the explosive contents of the shell so that a greater or smaller portion of this ring must beconsumed before the fire can be communicated to the explosive contents of the shell. It has heretofore been proposed to have the adjustable part rotatable on that part which is fixed to the shell and to indicate, by a scale in one of the parts and an index in the other, the relative location of the point of nommunicatingthe initiallighting, and point of imparting the flame to the shell, and the consequent distance over which burning must take place, and therefore, just what length of time it will take for the shell to be'exploded after firing. a

Our presentinvention relates to certain improvements in the adjustment of. the two partsof a fuse-plug intended to be con-.

strncted upon the same general principles as those above described, and has forits objects to enable an accurate adjustment of the burning periods to be effected in a conven'ent manner, and to prevent with certainty an unintentional displacement of the body of the fuse. These objects are attained by artificially increasing the friction between the bodyiof the fuse which is capable of rotation and a fixed partof the igniter body or cupto such an extent that while the automatic displacement of the adjusted body of the fuse by concussions or the like is hereby prevented,

the turning of. the said body of the fuse which is to be adjusted can still be effected by hand or by asuitable instrument.

' Our invention further relates to an indicator for use in connection with the above described frictional device and consisting of a pointer on one of the relatively turning parts and notches or graduations on the other of said parts, whereby the adjustment of the initial guiding ring upon-the spindle maybe accurately indicated and which indicator by reason of its construction also serves as an additional safeguard against turn1ng.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly 1n centralsection of atime fuse constructed accord- Fig. 2 is a section on ing to this invention. the line to y Fig. 1. Fig. 2- shows a time fuse constructed according to this invent1on applied to ashell. Figs. 3, and 4 illustrateslight modifications hereinafterdescribed. Fig. 5 1s a side elevation. modification, and Figs. 7 and 8 show a still further modification.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a split clamping ring a embraces the cylindrical spindle c of the igniting cup 0 and lies between the adjusting nut d and the body of the fuse The said clamping ring is cone shaped on lts exterior periphery, and said outer conical surface bears against a corresponding internal cone formed in the body of the fuse b. When the adjusting nut d is tightened it presses with its lower surface upon the upper flat face of the clamping ring a and forces the ring which acts as an annular wedge between the body of the fuse and the spindle so that between these latter two parts friction is produced. Before setting the fuse, the nut d is first screwed up so far that the body 6 of the fuse too can only just be turned by hand. The adjusting nut is then locked by means of a Fig. 6 is a plan of a further 80 the body of the fuse in both cases being made of corresponding form to fit therewith. In the form represented in Fig. 4 the clamping ring need not be split. By thedescribed arrangement moreover this advantage is gained that, in the'firing, the clamping ring a, by reason of its inertia, is pressed so firmly between the spindle and the body of the fuse that the friction thereby produced is greater than the effort tending to displace the body of the fuse, and produced by the rotation of the projectile onthe one hand and by the inertia of the body of the fuse on the other hand, so that, displacement of the said body is prevented. In the time fuses represented in Figs. 5 to 8 the friction acting to prevent the turning of the body of the fuse is produced between the igniting cup and the body' of the fuse by a snap spring. 7

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 the fuse has a pointer a made in the form of a spring .pin fixed to the igniting cup and bearing with its free end against the body I) of the fuse. On this body the graduation lines indicating the burning periods or distances are formed in intaglio, so that the pointer a can snap into said' depressions during the turning of the body. The spring pointer a? is sufliciently strong to prevent accidental turning of the body during transport, or'loading, for example. and the line indicating the dead point of the time fuse may be made somewhat deeper than the others, in order to entirely prevent the body of the fuse being accidentally turned from the positions in which it is set during transport. By the described arrangement for causing the pointer to snap into the graduations the advantage is moreover gained that the accurate adjustment of the body of the fuse is materially facilitated. The time fuse shown in Figs. 7 and 8 diifers from that of Figs. and 6 only in that the spring pin is replaced by a small spring plate a'which is fixed to the igniting cup 0 by means of a screw or otherwise. This small plate is pressed inward at a to form a wedge shaped ridge adapted to fit into the graduation lines.

While in general the clamping ring and The zero line of the graduations' the spring'pointer have the common function of preventing the automatic displacement of the body of the fuse by increasing the friction, the former has the special advantage of still further increasing the frictional momentum during the firing, and the latter has the advantage of facilitating the accurate adjustment of the body of the fuse. If it is desired to secure both advantages both devices are arranged together on the fuse.

In Fig. 2 we have'shown our time fuse applied to a shellf. In the bodyb of the time fuse is located the slow burning composition ring g, which, when ignited communicates with the explosive contents of the shell through the passage h, and located within the cylindrical spindle c is the initial igniting device '11 which, as the projectile is driven forward, moves backward and is exploded on the needle j. The flame is carried to the slow burning sage k.

Having described our invention, what we composition through the pas relative adjustment thereof for the purpose.

specified,

2.. In combination with the relativelyadj ustable parts of a time fuse, a conical or tapered claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

clamping ring inserted between said parts to produce between them friction for preventing'the accidental turning of the same'relatively to each other for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with therelatively adj ustable parts of a time fuse, of the interposed= friction ring wedging between said parts for regulating the friction of turning between them, and the screw cap bearing on the ring for increasing the wedging eifect as explained.

4. In a time fuse, the combination with the igniting cup and the fuse movable thereon; of the indicating and locking-device carried by one part and engaging in the other, for indicating 'the position and holding the ad-' j ustment of the fuse,- and the automatic locking ring between the relatively movable parts, operated byinertia on firing. the gun, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

I MAX DREGER. ALFRED WRATZKE.

Witnesses:

KARL E. DETZNER, EMIL KALLNEGKER. 

